Can closing machine



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CAN CLOSING MACHINE Nov. 14, 1944. P. E. PEARsoN v2,362,848

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Patented Nov, 14, 1944 CAN CLOSING MACHINE Paul E'. Pearson, Chicago, Ill., assilmor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Newl York Application September 19, 1940, Serial No. 357,459

6 Claims.

The invention relates generally to can closing machines, and more particularly to machines of this character wherein filled cans are fed into the machine and covers or end closures are fed into cooperative relation with the individual cans and then secured in product sealing relation on said cans. In machines of this character considerable difllculty is encountered in bringing into and holding the lled cans and covers in perfectly registered relation, and when the cans contain material quantities of liquid, lluid or semi-fluid products, the abrupt changes of direction to which the usual machine equipments subject the iilled cans serve to spill quantities of said products with the result that machine parts are rendered messy and unsanitary. The present invention seeks to 'remedy these conditions.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated embodying improved iilled can handling mechanismswhich avoid imparting to the lled cans abrupt direction change movements likely to spill fluid or semi-fluid products from said cans.

Another objectl of the invention is 'to provide a machine of the character statedembodying improved means for presenting and holding can closure membersA in perfect registry with the iilled cans, and novel lled can handling mechanisms which move the illled cans into close proximity to the closure members Without abrupt direction change movements likely to spill fluid or semifluid products from said cans.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a machine of the character stated, novel can closure holding members capable of holding the closures in proper relation with the filled cans but which are yieldable to permit the filled cans to move into contact with said closures and then past said holding members into contact with closure securing means.

vAnother object of the invention is to provide certainv new and useful improvements in can closing machines of the type disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent 1,961,994 issued June 5, 1934, to Nelson Troyer and Paul E. Pearson in which are included special means for handling oval cans and closures and including a turret having half. oval can receiving pockets therein, novel spring fingers for holding the closures in registry with the cans,`

and novel means for imparting continuous, multidirectional movements to the filled cans, including a'portion of indexing movement of said'turret, for bringing the illled cans and closures into close proximity without spilling or sloshing of contents from said filled cans.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a machine of the character last stated,novel means movable into and out of contact with turret carried oval cans for shaping them so as to accurately receive the associated closures just prior to the function oi' securing said closures on or sealing said cans.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more fully understood by following the detailed description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: y

Figure l is a plan view of the machine, the seaming head, and the driving motor being removed. v

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 2-2 on Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the can body feed-in mechanism, parts being broken away and in section;

Figure 4 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 4--4 on Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 6 5 on Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line B-B on Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 1-1 on Figurel 3.

Figure 8 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 8--8 on Figure .2. f

Figure 9 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 9 9 on Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a plan view illustrating the cover feed-in mechanism.

Figure 11 is a vertical cross section taken on the line I l-I l on Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line I2-l 2 on Figure 10. y

Figure 13 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section illustrating the means for feeding the filled cans into and lifting them in the turret pockets at the filled can receiving station.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the filled can receiving and first operation seaming stations of the machine.

Figure 15 is a fragmentary vertical cross section illustrating the filled can lifting means at the lled can receiving station, the lifting means at the irst operation seaming station also being shown.

Figure 16 is a diagrammatic view illustrating several turret pockets in development, the relative positions of filled cans at the receiving station, the4 first and second operation seaming stations and at the idle station intervening said 4seaming stations being shown.

Figure 17 is a fragmentary vertical cross section taken on the line I1-I1 on Figure 1.

Figure 18 is a fragmentary side elevation illus trating a portion of the filled can feed-in chain.

Figure 19 is a plan View of the chain portion illustrated in Figure 18.

Figure 20 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 20-20 on AFigure 18.

In the machine herein disclosed as an example of embodiment of the invention there is included a base frame 5 which` is hollow to form a mechanism housing chamber 6, the latter being accessi-'- ble through a removable door 1. The base frame housing includes a ceiling,'o'r top closure wall 8 having a bearing well 9 formed therein and also equipped with a vertically disposed turret bearing sleeve I0.

Frame standards II are supported upon the base frame in parallel spaced relation so as to present the vertical slide guides I2 with which they are equipped in opposed relation. See Figures 1, 2 and 8.

The slide guides I2 of the standards II serve to vertically-adjustably support a frame I3 whichl carries a seaming -head generally designated I4.

The frame I3 is equipped with bearings I5 for rotatably supporting a main drive shaft I6 having a drive clutch disk I1 splined thereon and movable into and out of driving relation with a loose pulley I8 through the medium of shifter .elements I9 operable by a shifter head 20 slidably mounted on the main shaft I6. The shifter head can be moved manually through the medium of a shifter lever 2| having a handle extension 22, and when the shifter head is shifted to bring about engagement between the driving diskA I1 and the loose pulley I8 rotation is imparted to the main drive shaft I6by a belt 23 which takes over the pulley I8 and over a variable speed drive pulley 24 mounted on the drive shaft of a motor 25. The motor 25 is supported on a bracket 26 which is vertically adjustable on a frame bracket 21 through thel medium of an adjusting screw equipment 28.

The seaming head generally designated I4 includes first operation and second operation seaming equipments generally designated 29 and 30 respectively. Each of the seaming equipments 29 and 30 includes a stationary chuck 3l, a knockout and follower pad 32 mounted on a vertically reciprocable actuator rod 33, a rotor 34 rotatably mounted in a bearing 35 in the seaming .head and having a driver gear 36 secured thereon, and seaming rolls 31 carried on pivoted actuator arms 38 which are held against a vertically reciprocable actuator cam 39 by suitable spring equipments.

The driver gears 36 of the respective seaming equipments 2'9 and 30 mesh with and are driven by a driver gear 40 secured upon a shaft 4I which is vertically disposed and rotatable in bearings 41 secured upon the inner end of the main drivey shaft I6.

having rotative bearing at 5I on a vertically disposed supporting standard 52 fixed upon the seaming head frame. The cam rotor 50 is equipped with a cam groove 53 for imparting vertical reciprocations to the actuator cams 39 of the seaming equipments 29 and 30 through the medium of pivoted actuator levers 54, and a cam groove 55 for actuating the knockout and follower pad rods 33 of said seaming equipments through the medium of actuator lever means 56. Since the seaming mechanism generally designated 29 and 38 are substantially identical in form and function with those disclosed indetail in the Troyer and Pearson Patent 1,961,994, issued on June 5, 1934, further detailed description of the construction and operation of these seaming mechanisms herein is thought to be unnecessary.

A housing 51 is fixed to the frame standards I I, and an adjustable screw member 58 is vertically movable in and extends vertically from said housing. The screw member 58 threads through an adjuster worm wheel 59 held captive in the housing so'that when rotation is imparted to said wheel it will cause the screw 58 to move upwardly or downwardly according to the direction of rotation. Rotation is imparted to the worm wheel gear 60 which meshes with the worm wheel 59 by a suitable manuallyoperable crank 6I. See Figures 2 and 8 of the drawings.

An air cylinder 62 is supported on the seaming head frame, and a piston 63 is reciprocable in said cylinder. Movement is imparted to the piston within the cylinder by' air pressure, and the cylinder is connected by valve controlled pipe line equipment 64'With a suitable source of air under pressure (not shown). The piston is connected as at 65 with the clutch shifter lever 2l, 'and it will be obvious that each time the piston is moved to the left, as viewed in Figure 2 of .the drawings, the clutch elements I1 and I8 will be disengaged and operation of the machine as a whole -will Abe stopped because rotation of the main driving shaft I6 is thus discontinued.

A driver bevel pinion 66 is secured upon the lower end of the lower shaft section 44 and impants rotation to a similar pinion 61 secured on a shaft 68 horizontally rotatable in bearings 69 provided therefor in the base frame 5. See Figure 9. The shaft 68 also carries a driver pinion 10, and this pinion meshes with and imparts rotation -to a large spur gear 1I which loosely surrounds a main cam shaft 12 which is horizontally rotatable in bearings 13 provided therefor in the base frame 5. Rotation of the gear 1I is imparted to the cam shaft through an overload release or safety clutch plate 14 splined on the cam shaft and which is longitudinally movable thereon whenever an overload is imposed upon the mechanism, as byI jamming connected parts. Whenever the plate 14 is shifted axially upon imposition of an overload, it shifts an actuator pin 15 and opens a valve 16 for permitting air under pressure to enter the safety cylinder 62, thereupon to effect a declutching of the motor and equipments are provided at various Ipartsof ,the

machine, all. effective in the manner just 'stated"l to discontinue operation of the machinewhenever pants of the machine mechanisms tend to ja'm- The cam shaft 12 carries a second actuator cam ugreater detail hereinafter.

carries a turret indexing cam 80, a half mold oscillating cam' 8|, and a driver bevel gear 82 .to which the last-mentioned cam is affixed. See Figures 2, 8 and 9 of the drawings.

A turret shaft 83 is vertically rotatable'in the frame bearing l0, and a turret 84 is secured to the end of .the shafta which projects above .the ceiling or ``top closure wall 8 ofthe main base frame in the manner illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings. At its lowerend, the shaft 83 carries a driver disk 85 from which indexing rollers 86 depend for engagement in the indexing grooving of the indexing cam 80 hereinbefore referred to. The rollers 88 are equidistantly spaced and eight thereof are` provided, one for each of the peripherally open pockets 81 provided in the turret 84. See Figures 1, 2, 13, 14 and 16.

Each of the turret pockets 81 includes a ledge 88 for extending .beneath the outwardly turned flange of each infed, filled can, a relatively deep clearance B9 above said ledge to enable lift movement of the filled cans, and a cover or closure receiving ledge 90. A pair of grip fingersor lugs 9| overlie the cover receiving ledge at the respective sides thereof, and a similar finger or lug 92 overlies this ledge at its innermost extremity, the last-named linger being disposed radially with respect to the axis of .the turret in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 1, 13, 14, and 17 of the drawings. The fingers 9| and 92 are spring projected by spring equipments 93, and the degree of their projection or the extent to which they overlie the cover receiving ledge 80 is determined by limiting 'pins 94. See Figures 13, 16 and 17. All of the spring fingers preferably include cover edge engaging recesses 95.

While being moved-about by the turret 84, filled cans are supported upon a table plate equipment 96 suitably supportedas at 91 on the base frame top or ceiling 8, and are retained against movement out of the peripherally open turret pockets by an outer guide 98. A suitable opening 99 is provided in the ta-ble plate 96 at the turret station at which the first operation seaming equipment is mounted to permit vertical movement of a can lifter pad, and a similar opening is .provided in the talble plate equipment at the turret station at which the second operation seaming equipment functions.

In an angularly projecting frame projection |0I, there is mounted a shaft |02 which rotates horizontally in suitable bearings |03 provided therefore in said frame extension. The shaft |02 is driven by a bevel pinion couple |04 from a shaft |05 horizontally Arotatable in bearings |08 provided therefor in said frame extension.

V The shaft |02 is driven by a bevel pinion couple |04 from a shaft |05 horizontally rotatable inv bearings |06 provided therefor in the frame base and which carries a bevel pinion gear |01 in mesh with and driven by the bevel pinion 82 .mounted on the main cam shaft 12 hereinbefore referred to. A driver sprocket |08 is loosely -mounted on the shaft |05 and is driven from said shaft through an overload release head generally designated |09. 'Ihis overload release head The cam shaft also is associated with suitable valve actuating equipment for effecting a discontinuation of rotation of the main driving shaft shouldany jamming' of parts driven by the sprocket |08 occur in the manner hereinbefore described in connection with the overload release drive equipment 14, 15, 82. v f l l The shaft |02 also carries a driver bevel gear ||0 through which rotation .is imparted to a bevel gear mounted on a vertical shaft ||2 andwhich serves to drive the cover feed screw shaft ||3 through an intermediate clutch assembly generally designated' ||4. V'l'he gear |0 also ydrives a bevel gear ||5 mounted on a vertical shaft ||6 axially aligned with the previously mentioned shaft ||2. The cover feed screw shaft ||3 projects upwardly beneath the cover feedway or table |I|1 andcarries a spur gear ||8 at its upper end which drive kpinion gears ||9 at the respective sides of he cover feedway through thel medium of intermediate idler pinions |20. Each of the pinions ||9 is mounted on a vertically disposed shaft which carries a cover feed screw |2| at its upper end, said screws |2| serving to engage covers or can closure members at the bottom of the hingedly mounted cover stack |22 for the purpose of feeding said covers,

one by one, onto the feedway or table ||1.

Covers or can closure members deposited one by one on the feedway o-r table ||1 are engaged by the feeder lfingers carried by the reciprocable nger bars |23 and are thus fedstep by step through the marking station, at which the marking equipment generally designated |24 fs positioned, and into the peripheral pockets of the turret 84 where theyare yieldably held by the spring fingers hereinbefore referred to. `See Fig `ures 9, 10 and'12.

The whole feedway or table H1 is verticallyadjustably mounted as at |25 and can be raised or lowered in order to adapt the table for feeding cans of different depths through the medium of a hand screw equipment generally designated |26. u

The finger bars |23 are connected by crank and link connections |21 with a vertically disposed, oscillatory shaft |28. A crank |29 is fixed to the lower end of the shaft |28, and oscillatory movement is imparted to this shaft by .apitman |30 includingan overload release or safety clutch equipment |3I and which connects at its other end with a crank |32v secured to the lower end of the rotary shaft IIB hereinbefore referred to.

It will be observed by reference to Figure 1 of the drawings that the covers fed one by one from the bottom of the stack are forced onto the cover receiving ledges 90 defining the peripheral pockets in the turret 84 and are there yieldably held in place by the gripper fingers 9| and 92 lassociated with the respective pockets, two opposed side edge gripper fingers 9| and one end y or radial finger 92 being associated with each the various stations' including the stations at which the first and second operation feeding functions take place that no objectionable ysloshing or spilling of contents from the cans will occur such as commonly. occurs in machines of the character herein described in which the filled cans being fed or moved are subjected to abrupt movement direction changes. In order to accomplish the above mentioned outstanding purposes, there is provided a can feed table generally designated |33 and which -is supported as at |34 on the .base frame. Thefeed table includes a filled .can feed vguideway |35 leadingr toward the axis of the turret 84 and the periphwhich drives va pinion |43 on a stub shaft |44 con..

nected in driving relation, through a bevel gear couple |45, with a timing spiral |46 which times the travel of and definitely spaces the oval filled cans moving along over the short and long chains just referred to. The traveling filled cans are yieldably opposed by a wall member |41.` A-main feed-in chain |48 is aligned with the short chain previously referred to, and this main feed chain passes over a sprocket |49 on a cross shaft |50,

over an idle sprocket over a driver sprocket |52 mounted on a cross shaft |53, and over a sprocket |54 on a cross shaft |55 rotatable in suitable frame bearings |56 and which also carries a sprocket |51 of which more will bey said later. The shaft |53 is driven by sprocket and chainu connections |58 from the driver sprocket |08 hereinbefore referred t0.

The long chain which passes over the sprocket |36 also passes over and is driven by a sprocket |59 mounted on a shaft |60|to which rotation is imparted from the 'shaft |50 through a gear train generally designated |6|.

Filled cans which are moved along toward the `turret in equidistantlyv spaced relation by the the drawings. It will be observed byreference to Figure 3 that the belt |62 is inclined downwardly and progressively packs or presses the filled products inthe cans so 'as to avoid portions of the filled products projecting above the upper extremities of the open cans.

In order to feed the filled cans positively and in equidistantly spaced relation, themain feedin chain |48 is provided with a plurality of equidistantly spaced driver lugs |65 each of which is pivotedas at IE6 to the chain and has an upstanding, wide spread drive lug portion |61 presented for engagement with the trailing ends of the filled cans. A side portion of each lug is disposed at one side of the chain M8 in the manner best illustrated in Figures 18, 19 and 20 of the drawings, and each side portion is equipped with two large apertures |68,-said apertures surrounding limiting pins |69 projecting laterally from the chain and serving to permit a considerable amount of swinging movement of the driver lugs about their pivotal connections |06 with the chain. By reason of the provision of these apertures and the pivotal mounting of the travel lugs, the lugs are free to'adjust themselves rwhile the chain is passing about the sprockets over which ittakes, and each lug is permitted to move down out of driving relation with the filled can being fed in thereby ings.

in a manner and for a purpose later to be described. During the normaliilled can feeding function, each lug is supported in the operative position illustrated in full lines in Figures 13l and 18 ofthe drawings by feed-in trackway portions over which the chain passes. Each lug includes trailing cut o i or release portions |10 which drop off the release end portion |1| of the supporting .track so that the lugs can move out of feeding engagement with the filled cans just as the cans reach the inner limit of the turret pockets-into which they are fed.

At the .filled can receiving station'the chain lugs |61 feed individual filled cans onto a lift pad |12 which is provided with a central cutout or clearance |13 for permitting travel movement of the chain lugs |61. See Figures 1 and 13. The pad |12 straddles the shaft |55 as at |14 and is carried on a plunger |15 which is vertically reciprocable in a frame guide |16 and is pivot-linkconnected as at |11-at its lower end with an actuator arm |18 pivotally mounted on a pivotshaft |19 supported inthe base frame in the manner best illustrated in Figures 2, 9 and 15 of the draw- The actuator arm |18 carries a roller |80 which' is engaged in the cam groove 19. The cam groove 19 is so shaped that the lift pad |12 starts to rise while a given can is being moved over the 4o for the purpose of moving that can toward the station at which the rst operation seaming function is performed. In this manner the filled cans are fed into the mach'ine by a continuous movement followed by a lifting of the lled can for the purpose of bringing the upper extremity in close proximity to the overlying cover or can closure, in turn followed by a measure of indexing movement, the movement of the lled can toward the axis'of the turret effected by the ,respective chain lug |61, the lifting movement effected by the pad |12, and the measure of indexing movement effected by indexing of the turret, all being continuous without any abrupt change in direction or speed of travel of the filled can likely to cause contents thereof to slosh or spill from the can.

The above described positioning of the lled cans in the turret pockets in very close relation to the overlying cover or can closure is accomplished in a manner assuring against undesirable sloshing or spilling of contents of the can and by multi-direction continuous movement as distinguished from abrupt direction change movements l ret pocket presented at the receiving station by the respective chain lugv |61,and the indexing of the turret commences just before the feed-in lug finally seats the can entirely in said pocket, and for this reason the lugs |61 are made sufficiently wide to allow for the measure of lateral or indexing movement of the can just referred to. The instant that a given lug |61 completes its can feeding function it dropsoff the release end |1| Aof the supporting track surfaces and becomes disengaged from the can and positioned for passing about the sprockets.

the turret indexing movement overlaps to the extent of two and one-half degrees of angular travel corresponding to twenty degrees of cycle time. During the forty degrees of cycle time the turret 84 indexes a given can while the lift pad remains elevated, and then the lift pad |12 is dropped within twenty degrees of cycle time, thus clearing the following can.

Beneath the turret station at which the first operation feeding function is performed, there is provided a lift pad |8| including a yieldably mounted upper stem |82 anda lower or plunger portion |83 which is vertically-reciprocable in the frame guide bearing |84 and is pivotally connected as at |85 at its lower end to the first operation lift lever |86 pivotally supported on the pivot shaft |19 hereinbefore referred to. lever |86 carries a roller |81 which engages in the cam groove 18 and serves at the proper time to lift the filled can above the table 96 to yieldably press the cover against the chuck 3| of the seaming-head. See Figures 2, 9, l5 and 16.

At the first operation seaming station a bridge member |88 is mounted and serves as a support for a fourth stationary spring finger |89 which opposes each radial spring finger 92 presented at that particular station for cooperating with it and the remaining spring fngers'9l in perfectly aligning the respective cover or can closure with the underlying filled can. 'In order to further assure perfect registry of each filled can and its associated cover at this station, there is provided a half mold or rounding member`|90 which is shaped to snugly embrace the end of a given filled can projecting from a turret pocket pre'- sented at the first operation seaming station for the purpose of rounding up or perfectly positioning said filled can during the first operation seaming function.

In order to move the half mold memberinto and out of engagement with filled cans for the purpose just above stated, this member is mounted on an arm |9| secured to an oscillatory shaft |92 supported in a suitable frame bearing and equipped with a crank |93 which is link-connected as at |94 with a bell crank lever |95 supported on a fixed fulcrum |96 and having a roller |91 engaged in the cam groove 8|. The cam groove 8| is suitably shaped to actuate the lever and link connections just described to press the half mold against each filled can presented at the first operation seaming station for the purpose of perfectly aligning that can with the overlying cover which is to be double-seam secured thereon.

It is to be understood that after each lled can has been perfectly registered with the overlying cover, the first operation lift pad lifts the can into engagement with the seaming head chuck 3| in the manner hereinbefore described. Prior to the lifting of the can the follower pad 32 is moved down into engagement with the cover in the manner illustrated in Figure 16 of the drawings and then moves up with the cover and can body when the pad |8| is lifted, the yieldable spring fingers 9|, 92 and |89 v.yielding to permit such upward movement. After the seaming operation has vbeen completed in the well known manner, the pad |8| is again lowered to In the particular machine herein illustrated the lug feeding function and The restore the can andthe partially seamed closure to the level of the table 96.

Following the completion of the first operation` ,the station at which the second 'operation seaming function is performed.

At the station at which the second operation seaming function is performed a lift pad |99 identical in construction with the pad |8| disposed at the rst operation seaming station is provided, each of these pads including equipment permitting them to yield when theyare pressed tightly against the chuck 3| of the respective seaming head equipments 29 and 30. The pad |99 is pivotally connected as at 200 at its lower end to a lift lever 20| pivotally supported on the pivot shaft |19 and equipped with a roller 202 engaged in the cam groove 19 which is suitably shaped to effect the desired lifting and lowering of said pad.

Since the cover is partially attached when a given can reaches the station at which the second operation seaming function is performed, there ation seaming function as at 204 so that after vthe completion of the first operation seaming function and also the second operation seaming function the can can be lowered without the edges of the cover engaging the spring fingers l which previously yieldably gripped the same.

At the station following that at which the second operation seaming function is performed, the

cans are centered over a feed-off trackway 205 and over a feed-off chain 206 which functions in association with said trackway. The feed-olf chain carries suitable equidistantly spaced feed lugs and passes over sprockets 201 one of which is driven by chain and sprocket connections 208 from the sprocket |51 carried by the shaft straddled vby the lift pad equipment |12 hereinbefore referred to. See Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings.

It is preferred that spring fingers 209 similar to those previously described as overlying and yieldably gripping the can covers be provided at the respective sides of the turret pockets for yieldably gripping the sides of the lled cans just beneath the ledges 88 and outwardly of or beyond the lateral center or minor axes of the oval shaped cans. See Figures 13 and 14. In the drawings, the filled cans are indicated at 2|0 inwardly spaced arcuate cover plate 2|4, saidv plates being supported in spaced relation by bridge pieces 2|5. These arcuate plates ,2|3 and 2|4 extend from a point in advance `of the feedin or filled can receiving station to the station at which the first operation seaming function is performed and serve to additionally assure against because of Contact therewith of any can fill particles which might be projecting above the upper surface of the open cans as they are lifted into close proximity to the associated covers in the novel manner hereinbefore described.-

In operation the filled cans arefed into the machine in equidistantly spaced relation and are engaged by the chain lugs |61 and moved onto the receiving and lifting pad |`|2 at the rece1v1ngv station. As soon as two-thirds of a given c an' has been moved onto the pad by the respective feed lug |61 the pad |12 starts to lift the can 2li) so as to bring Vthe upper surface thereofA into close proximity with the overlying cover 2|| which has vbeen placed on the receiving ledge 90 and yieldably gripped thereon at the preceding station. As previously described, the feeding movement of the respective lug |61 and the lifting movement of the pad |12 are continuous, and not abrupt, and continue until the respective can 2||l is almost fully seated in the respectiveturret pocket at which time indexing movement lof the turret commences, the three distinct movements, namely, feeding movement onto the pad,

sure of indexing movement with the turret being continuous and without abrupt sudden change of direction.

At the station at which the rst operation seamingy function is performed, the half mold member |90 assures perfect registry of the can 2|0 beneath 'the cover 2| l which is to be secured thereon while a fourth spring finger |89 aids the three spring fingers 9| and 92 previously referred to in assuring perfect registry of thecover. At this station the follower pad 32 moves down into contact with the cover 2|| and` then moves up with the can and cover as the pad lll lifts the can to chuck the same during the first operation seaming function, after which the pad |8| again lowers the can so that it can be indexed twosteps to the station at which the second operation seaming function takes place, at which second operation seaming station the function of the respective follower pad 32 is repeated and the second operation lift pad |99 functions to lift and again lower the can for the purposes previously described. After each can is securely seamed at the second operation seaming station it is indexed to the feed-off station and removed from the respective turret pocket by the feed-off chain 206.

It is, of course, to be understood that the details of structure and arrangement of parts may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a can closing machine, an indexed turret having pockets in its periphery, means for supporting can covers in the pockets of' said turret, and means for feeding filled cans into the turret pockets beneath said covers and including a feed chain, equidistantly spaced feeder lugs pivotally mounted on said chain and movable into and out of effective feeding relation to the filled cans, and track members directly engaged by said lugs and normally effective for holdingthe lugs in position for feeding engagement with the filled cans and including lug release portions so spaced With relation to the turret as to cause the 'lugs to move out of feeding contact with filled cans as they become seated in the turret pockets, said lugs havhaving pockets inits periphery, means for supporting can covers in the pockets of said turret.

means for feeding filled vcans into the turret pockets beneath said covers and including a feed chain, equidistantly spaced feeder lugs pivotally mountd on said chain and movable into and out of effective feeding relation to the filled cans, and

llifting movement on the pad, and the small meatrack members. normally effective for holding the lugs in position for feeding engagement with the filled cans and including lug release portions so spaced with relation to the turret as to cause the lugs to move out of feeding contact with filled cans as they become seated in the turret pockets, a vertically reciprocable lift pad structure for lifting filled cans into close proximity with overlying covers while said cans are being moved into the pockets by said feeder lugs, a sprocket supporting the chain at the position of the lift pad, and a shaft supporting the sprocket, said lift pad having avertical slotway straddling said sprocket shaft.v

3. In a can closing machine, a rotary pocketed Y lugs thereon and a lift pad for receiving each can from said chain and lifting the s'ame while it is moving into the respective turret pocket, and means effective to hold said lugs in engagement with cans until each thereof is fully seated in a pocket and close beneath a cover supported in said pocket and then release said lugs to discontinue their effective feeding engagement with the cans and permit the chain to move on directly beneath the last fed can without imparting additional movement thereto.

4. In a can closing machine, a rotary pocketed turret, means for indexing the turret station by station, means -for supporting can covers in the pockets of said turret, downwardly and inwardly bevelled diametrically oppositely disposed spring grip fingers for yieldably holding each cover in the pocket into which it is fed, means for feeding filled cans individually into position in said pockets with the open top of each thereof close beneath a cover supported in the respective pocket by continuous forward and upward motion thereby to avoid abrupt direction change movements of said cans and the spilling of contents therefrom, said last named means including a lift pad for lifting infeeding filled cans toward said sup- 5. In a can closing machine, a rotary pocketed turret, means for supporting can covers,in the V pockets of saidV turret, means for feeding filled cans individually into position in said pockets with open tops thereof close beneath the covers -by continuous forward and upward motion there- =by to avoid abrupt direction change movements of said cans and the spilling of contents therefrom, said last named means including aA continuously moving filled can engaging feed chain, equidistantly spaced feeder lugs pivotally mounted on said chain and movable into and out of eiective feeding relation to the lled cans, track members normally holding the lugs in effective position and including lug release portions so spaced with relation to the turret as to cause the lugs to move out of feeding contact with filled cans as they become fully seated in the turret pockets, and a lift pad .for receiving each can from said chain and lifting the sam'e while vit is being moved by the feeder 1118s into theirespective turret pocket.

6. In a can closing machine, a. rotary pocketed turret, means for supporting can covers in pockets of said turret, means for feeding filled cans individuallyv into position in said pockets with open tops thereof close beneath lpreviously placed turret supported covers by continuous forward and upward and then lateral motion, thereby tol avoid abrupt direction change movementsv of said cans and the spilling of contents therefrom, said last named means including a continuously moving can engaging feed chain and a lift pad for receiving each can from said chain and lifting the same while it is moving into the respective turret pocket, pad lifting means, turret indexing means, and means driving said vlifting mean's and turret indexing means in timed relation, said indexing means including a cam operatively connected with the turret for effecting movement of the turret on its axis laterally of lthe cans and timed to cause the lateral movement of the turret to overlap the feeding movement of said cans prior to the termination of the feeding of the cans into the pockets of the turret.

PAUL E. PEARSON, 

